Embracing the Beast
by Siriusgirl1
Summary: Things had changed. So much so, that he could never hope to be the person he had once been. A sudden, yet inevitable revelation showed him that it was high time that he moved on. For a Pureblood son of his status could not afford to have such a weakness.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

It seems that I am currently incapable of writing anything that does not contain Kuran Rido in it. Seriously. While it's a nice feeling and all of that –because I never thought that I _would_ write anything based on him- it's also somewhat frustrating when I can't get anything else done, when all I think about are things like, "_what would he have done when _that_ happened?"_, or _"when would he have realized that he would have to do something to... (achieve whatever he wants)?"_, or_ "when could he possibly have started to _show_ signs of losing his sanity to become the...not quite right person we see in the manga?"_ And the list goes _on_.

Hehe, if he were really alive, I do hope that he would appreciate what this is doing to me.

Anyways, the only reason why I had to post this piece in two chapters was because it was much too long to post as a single chapter. I sincerely hope that that doesn't take anything away from the story...

**Disclaimer: **It all belongs to the wonderful Hino Matsuri, who has given us a wonderful 'world' and equally wonderful characters.

* * *

**Chapter One**: **Family**

He strode tiredly towards his parents' rooms, his travelling coat slung over his arm as he battled against the exhaustion that was making its presence known in his body.

Being a Pureblood did not mean that he was impervious to _everything_ –exhaustion being a good example that he had only gradually learned over the last two weeks, having deprived himself of any proper rest for that long.

In his defence, he had had to make sure that the negotiations and meetings he had been attending went well; it was what his father had sent him out to do, after all, and he _knew_ that the elder Vampire royal had been testing him. He had been testing him for the last number of years after all, waiting, just _waiting_ for him to falter, so that he could swoop down on him with more disdain than usual.

Coming to a halt when he reached the sturdy door that led to his parents' rooms, he groggily shook his head free of his thoughts and raised a hand to knock on the door, only it was opened before his fist met the wooden panelling. Blinking, he belatedly relaxed when he realized that it was one of his mother's maids, and not some foolish individual or the other who was seeking the chance to catch him off guard and erase him from existence.

No, he was not overreacting or being paranoid; things _had_ changed over the course of the last few years. Changed to the extent that he had to constantly meet with those loyal to him, to arrange...matters, should the time come for him to _truly_ exert himself as a Pureblood powerful enough to challenge –and perhaps win against- his father.

Or, he thought with a sneer, to challenge and win against anyone who stood _with_ his father, and against _him_. That included other members of his family.

Oh yes _indeed_. _Especially_ if they were male.

But that was only if it came to that.

Coming back to the present as he sensed movement, he growled something as the maid –a Vampire, of course- carefully tugged the coat from where it was hanging over his arm. He did not get the chance to rebuke her for daring to do so, for daring to touch him without his permission, for he was ushered inside before the door was closed behind him.

From the time he had set foot on the grounds of their home, he had known that his father was not present, having been unable to sense the powerful aura of the royal. And he had been grateful for that, as it meant that he would possibly have an opportunity to get some rest before having to report to the Vampire who, above all else, _was_ his lord King –as he constantly liked to remind him. He was King first and father second –and when it came to _him_, he was King first, aggressor second, and father...well, he had not been acting in a very _fatherly_ manner towards him recently, had he?

It was with a slightly relaxed countenance that he cast his eyes around the large room, before his eyes landed on the regal woman seated on one of the comfortable armchairs, conveniently placed by the closed balcony doors.

"Rido." A smile blossomed on the Pureblood royal's lips as she gazed at him, and he idly wondered if she _was_ pleased to see him, as the smile suggested. It was not an easy thing, to decipher the mind of a Pureblood, especially one as practiced in the art of diplomacy and politics as his mother and father.

"Okaasama." He inclined his head at the older Vampire in the customary formal greeting.

Straightening after a moment, he remained perfectly still as he saw her dark, deep blue eyes observe him silently. It was unnerving, but it was not as if she was going to attack him –and besides, his father would do the very same thing when he met him later, so he might as well get adjusted to it. Although his father's gaze would be highly disconcerting and not..._motherly_.

As his mother held her arms out to him, he allowed himself to move, automatically allowing himself to fall to his knees when he reached her seated figure and letting her wrap her arms around him. The beautiful, dark haired Pureblood was unusually frail for a Pureblood, and it had been that way ever since she had carried her last child.

"You look tired," she commented, running cool, gentle hands through his rich, dark hair. He said nothing as he lowered his head, allowing it to rest against her knees.

Yes, he was tired, but he was still above admitting it to others. He was, after all, loath to show signs of weakness to anyone. And speaking of weakness...he found it highly amusing that the only person who he would willingly kneel before without being told to, was one who was confined to her rooms or to a well-placed _chair_ most of the time –one who was undeniably _weak_.

His mother raised his head to meet his unique, mismatched eyes –one a deep, rich brown like his father's and the other a deep blue like hers- with her own. "Your father will not be home until later tonight," she commented, softly.

Even though he was exhausted, he did not allow any relief to show on his face at the news.

It was possible that his mother knew of his...reluctance to meet with his father, and that the royal discomforted him, but he saw no reason to admit it. For that would be giving whoever heard him some form of power over him, and he was never one to give anyone, or anything, such a hold over him.

Even if it _was_ his mother.

He had only ever allowed one person to have such a hold over him... and _that_ had turned out simply brilliantly; _so_ brilliantly, in fact, that he never wanted to do it again.

"I had hoped to get some rest before reporting to him," he said instead, disallowing his thoughts from pulling him into the dark portal that always revealed itself when his thoughts strayed to _that_ topic.

"Of course." His mother lightly stroked the side of his face with her hand, her lips pursing a little as a faraway gleam shone in them. It was an unusual thing for him to witness, simply because his mother was always composed and was not of the type to let her attention wander away.

Yet he made no comment on it, choosing instead to lower his head once more onto her lap and allowing her to continue stroking his head.

He remembered, distantly, the many times she had done that in the past. When he had been nothing but a young child with strange, frightening dreams; when he had been slightly older and in slight shock after having been introduced to the harsh reality of Purebloods and what was expected of them; and even when he had grown into an adult and had frequent disagreements with his father, which resulted in him receiving the short end of the stick... or in his case, the short end of his father's powers.

Again, it was something that he would never confess to, but the action...soothed him.

And it was even _more_ pleasing to know that she did not take that liberty with her other son. Even if it was only because said son refused to be coddled, and did not like being the main focus of _anyone's_ attention. Hah, how things had changed from what they once were!

For the quiet, unremarkable son had only recently shown those who knew him how very much like his father he was –for he got what he wanted.

Even if it was not his to claim in the first place.

As his thoughts wondered over to the only topic to ever cause a wave of pain to wash over him, he quickly stopped them in their tracks.

Ever since the day his siblings had received their father's blessings, he had learned that there was really only one effective manner in which he could deal with the pain; and that was to avoid thinking about it_._

To avoid thinking of_ her._

He had only been somewhat successful with the matter, as he was –unfortunately- _related_ to the recently bonded couple, and therefore, it was almost a given that he would be asked about them wherever he went.

Although the fact that the..._couple_ did not live in the main Kuran manor did help relieve the anger and other emotions within him, at least for a while.

Hearing the soft sigh from his mother, he raised his head, catching a glimpse of the unreadable expression that flashed across her face. A frown tugged the corners of his lips downward at that, for she was acting in a most strange manner.

"Is there something the matter?" he queried, his brows quirked in a questioning manner as they locked gazes. This time, he saw her furrowed brows and immediately knew that something was not quite right.

A foreboding feeling suddenly washed over him, causing his kneeling figure to tense.

_What...? What could have possibly happened to make her act in this manner? Surely, it must be something...distressing..._

And the way she was looking at him...

His stomach knotted in steadily rising anxiety.

The last time she had looked at him like that had been when their father had –happily- informed him of the betrothal of his siblings, which had happened when he had conveniently been 'away' on his father's 'orders'.

The last time she had looked at him like that was when his...brother had taken something from him, when he had won over what should have, _could have_, been _his_.

And there was really only one other remaining thing that he had a claim over; the position of being his father's successor as the eldest Kuran son.

Despite his exhaustion, his aura flared to life.

Had he, had that backstabbing, treacherous, _dangerous_ little _upstart_ taken _that too_ from him? During the time he had been gone –again on his father's 'orders'- had the usurper been passed on the title of the Kuran heir? He would not put it past his father, whom he knew did not test his younger son like he tested his elder one.

_I will not_, he thought, unaware of the flaring of his mismatched eyes, _let that go by unchallenged. That is _mine_. _I_ am the eldest son; _I_ am the next in line...the heir...not _Haruka...!

Feeling the slight, gentle tug on a handful of his longish hair, he forcefully brought himself out of his thoughts. His mother was definitely troubled, he could see that from her eyes and the small frown on her lips, and it did not reassure him in the least.

_Okaasama_, _do not...make me hear what I most certainly do _not _want to hear..._

"We...will be having a family dinner together this evening, Rido," said the older Vampire, her hands still on her son's head. "Har –your brother and sister will be joining us." She held firmly on to her son's head as he attempted to move away from her, displeased.

"I am afraid you will have to excuse me from the...event, Okaasama," he said, bitingly, "for I am quite exhausted after my taxing journey."

His mother shook his head, catching her lower lip with her teeth.

"Even if you were to stay away from this meal, Rido, you will not be able to avoid it, to avoid _them_, forever. They will...be staying with us for a while." His mismatched eyes narrowed as an all too familiar feeling rose in his chest.

Would he _never_ be free of the knowledge that they were happy while he still pined after a lost love? "Rather, _Juuri_ will be staying with us for a while...for a fair number of months, to be precise."

_That_ caught his attention. Juu –_she_ would be staying, alone? Without her beloved husband?

How...odd.

For surely her husband knew of _his_ continued presence in their parents' manor...? He would have thought he would do anything to keep his precious wife away from him.

Or perhaps he wanted to show him, to _tease_ him with what he could not have...?

Seeing, however, that his mother was still staring at him, he only nodded.

"I see," he said, through gritted teeth, as his mind turned towards exactly his brother would be doing while Ju –his wife stayed with their parents.

Was he planning something? Had their father given him some important task or the other, a task that _he_ was not supposed to know of?

Or was it their _father's _sick and twisted attempt at testing him by playing mind games with him, knowing what his...one weakness was, and would, probably, forever be?

"Rido." His mother searched his eyes once more, before averting them. "I do not want to be the one telling you this, my son. Yet I fear that, if _I_ do not do this, you will only be in for another unpleasant shock -the consequences of which, I am sure, we would be better off without."

Silence fell upon them for a moment when, quite suddenly, the vase that stood on the table behind the kneeling young Pureblood exploded, sending sharp porcelain shards scattering around the area, some even hitting the male on his back. "Rido-"

"-So that is it, then. Otousama has deemed me worthless. He had finally released his true desires...and has done the...unforgiveable..." His eyes were soon changing colour, becoming shrouded in a crimson mist, as he lost some control over himself –which had been happening more and more frequently over the last few years; his control being tested by thing he had never thought could test it. "I had long since guessed that Otousama disliked me, but really, to go this far...? Is that not too cruel, Okaasama?"

"What are you speaking of, my son? What has your father done, what has he taken too far?"

He paused, staring hard at his mother. Was she trying to tell him that she did not know any of this? That she knew nothing of what was happening to their family? To _him_?

"You claim to not know-" But he had to stop when she held up a hand, effectively bringing him to a surprised halt. His shoulders shook lightly as he stared at her for a moment longer than was necessary, before turning to fix his gaze elsewhere, reminding himself that this was _his mother_, and that she had not stabbed him in the back yet. Nor had she done anything to help him, but...he supposed that there had to be at least one member of his family who he could...tolerate, at the very least.

"I know not what you are thinking, but I can assure you that it does not concern your lord father." There was a pause. "Rather, it concerns Juuri, Rido."

His eyes narrowed.

What _about _her? He doubted that his mother was going to say that she had left her idiot husband. If she had been the type to do so, she would not have consented to their bonding in the first place; a fact which only served to affirm that this piece of news was nothing for him to look forward to.

"What about her?" he asked, his voice coming out in a hiss. It was not _his_ fault; he merely disliked speaking of...her. Of thinking of her. Of _seeing _her. For it only made him ponder on what he had lost, to ponder on what could have been –but never was- his. And he had fortified his mind against such thoughts in the first place, had he not?

So he concentrated instead on the mixed light in his mother's eyes as she, once more, caressed his face.

"She is... Juuri is--"

But he never got to hear what she had to say as he sensed, as they _both_ sensed, the...familiar yet...somewhat _off_ presence outside the door, a mere moment before it was pushed partially open with the confidence that only his father or one of his family would _dare_ to possess when approaching the rooms of the Pureblood royal.

"Okaasama, Haruka sends his apolo... Ah."

He was not aware of the expression on his mother's face as he stared at what he could see of the cruelly familiar female, but he could feel her eyes on him. "Forgive me," said the young, female Pureblood, as she moved her hand back to the carved door handle. "I would not have come if –ah, that is... Forgive me. I will come back later, Okaasama." She moved away, attempting to pull shut the small sliver of the door that she had pushed open.

_...Juuri..._

He had known that this would be his undoing, that seeing her, in the flesh, would strip him of the defences he had built around him when it came to her and the...emotions she brought out in him.

"No, Juuri, there is no need for that; come inside, dear." He barely heard his mother speak out, for his eyes were fixed on what little he could see of the beautiful Pureblood, through the small gap between the door and its frame.

"There is no need to hurry, I have no qualms with waiting and-"

"Juuri."

He found his lips pulling back in a sneer as his sister sighed –a sound that was perfectly audible to their superior Vampire hearing- out of displeasure, for he knew what she was displeased about.

She did not want to see _him_ –or perhaps, she disliked the idea of him seeing _her_. It had been that way since a while before her...betrothal; the chocolate haired Pureblood who had once looked at him with affection...had instead begun to distance herself from him, looking upon him with disdain not dissimilar to his father's.

Once more he found himself dragged out of his thoughts when he felt the hands threaded in his hair grasp his head tightly, causing him to turn his attention to his mother. "Please, come inside Juuri," continued his mother, her eyes fixed on her son's red ones. "And shut the door behind you."

For a moment, the tall, short haired Pureblood continued to stare at his mother, wondering at the pointed look she was sending him. Unable to decipher what she could possibly be trying to impress upon him –for really, his mother should know that he always _behaved_ before his youngest sibling?- he turned back to the third Pureblood when he heard the door being closed.

His expression softened despite himself, he could feel it, and as much as it might have angered him –for it _was_ a sign of weakness- he found that he could not find fault with himself.

It was Juuri after all; beautiful, intelligent, witty, _lovely_ Juuri. Her mere existence both tortured and soothed him, much to his chagrin, for above all else, it meant that she had power over him. The same kind of power he was very, _very_ careful not to give anyone else.

And still, despite this, he found that...he did not _mind_ her having that kind of power... although it would have been sweeter if she had been _his_ and not...Haruka's.

As he looked over her face, he quickly dismissed the somewhat agitated light in her lovely rich eyes as she stared at him and their mother –for she was no doubt uncomfortable with his presence, and he ignored the pang that the thought caused within him with practised ease. Her hair had grown, somewhat, and, he had to admit that she looked beautiful.

With an inward laugh, he realized how absurd the observation was, for _of course she was beautiful_; had Kuran Juuri ever been anything _but_? How lucky her husband, her bed-mate, her _bond-mate, _was! And she would only get more beautiful as the years dragged by, with maturity and time sculpting her slim hips and slender figure to a _more_ womanly and--

Time seemed to come to a standstill as his eyes were drawn away from his sinfully beautiful sister's face.

Her slender figure...

...was _not_ so slender anymore. Not...at _all_. It was...larger, more curvaceous...and it –it...

Bore all the signs of bearing a _life_ within its confines.

A life other than that of her own.

He felt his mother's sharp nails on his scalp, but found that he could not take his eyes off his sister's slightly, yet visibly swollen belly.

He sensed his sister's discomfort, but her figure continued to hold his attention.

Juuri...his Juuri –for she could very well _have_ been his if...Haruka had been removed from the picture, far-fetched though the fantasy might have been- was with...child.

She was with _child_.

_Haruka's_ child.

_That_ was why her presence had seemed somewhat odd, moments before she had entered; for she was fostering another within her.

Kuran Juuri was going to become a mother.

And just like that, his only recently fortified mind, his only recently fortified world, came crashing back down on him.

Again.

_Again_.

...A-Again...

Darkness rose within him, bubbling up his throat, and he laughed. He tilted his head back lightly, and laughed.

Through his half lidded eyes, he saw the bemused look he was receiving from the beautiful brunet, before her eyes flitted to his mother, and he could only laugh _harder_.

He laughed until his throat was sore, until the darkness had risen to invade his very _mouth_. Only then did he manage to sober, to regain his composure.

"I see," he said, breaking the tensed silence that had descended upon them. He tilted his head to a side to stare at his mother, enduring her probing gaze but inwardly dismissing it like the weak _fly_ that it was. "I see now, Okaasama." And he _did_ see indeed; that was what his mother had been trying to inform him of, _that_ was what she had tried to prepare him for. And it was not because she cared for _him_...rather, she cared about what he would do to his sister, upon discovering her condition.

But he did not feel...betrayed by the realization. He was not new to the experience of betrayal by family after all.

Pulling his head sharply out of his mother's hands, he stood effortlessly, smoothening down his shirt. He absently noted the shards of the shattered vase lying around him, and averted his gaze as he felt the surge of power within him.

He turned his gaze to his beautiful sister instead.

"Rido-"

"I believe congratulations are in order," he commented, easily ignoring his mother's somewhat concerned utterance. His sister's eyes narrowed, but he was far too used to it to be seriously troubled by it. "Does our father know?"

He patiently allowed his sister's analytical gaze to probe his face before watching her shake her head.

"We wish to surprise him," she said, coolly, squaring her shoulders.

He smiled cordially, unaware that his mismatched eyes were glinting once more.

"It will be a welcomed surprise indeed," he said, with a nod of the head, before he turned and inclined his head to his mother. "Forgive me, Okaasama, but I believe I should retire to my rooms. I have had a trying few weeks after all." He straightened. "Please be so kind as to send a maid to wake me up when our father returns."

Without waiting for his mother's answer, he turned and stalked towards the door, which his sister was standing before. He smirked as he saw her tense at his approach, but made sure to keep his hands, powers and fangs to himself. Not that he had ever..._not_ done so where she was concerned. "I offer you my congratulations once again," he said, as he came to a halt before her apprehensive figure. "And now, I will let you enjoy our mother's company."

Smiling at the beautiful Pureblood, he sidestepped her still, tensed figure and opened the door before closing it behind him half a moment later.

The smile he had given his sister was still on his face as he headed down the corridor, and it widened when he saw the maid from earlier standing at the end of the long passageway.

Dismissing her curtsy as she spotted him, his mismatched eyes travelled to the travelling coat she had in her hands. _His_ travelling coat. Gracefully snatching it from her, he headed towards the stairs, for his rooms were on the floor below where his parents' rooms were situated.

Shrugging on the long, dark coat as he descended the stairs, he did not stop when he reached the floor below. Instead, he continued until he reached the ground floor once more.

He would most certainly displease his father if he were to be away when the royal returned to his home, and he would displease him further if he were not present at the 'family dinner' to be held later that night.

But the arrogant, hateful Vampire was already displeased with him, so he did not think it would make any difference.

Besides, it was imperative that he leave his home. That he be away when his dear brother decided to turn up. That he be away when his father saw that his sister was... When he saw his sister's...condition.

Fuelled by the darkness that he could now _taste_, the darkness that was so very tangible to his senses, he knew _exactly_ where he needed to go.

For the Kuran manor had slowly, but surely, begun to suffocate him.

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**A/N**

I took quite a few liberties here, with Rido's mother –hope no one minds that. (But then again, writing fanfiction in the first place _is_ taking a few liberties, isn't it?). It was difficult to write her without giving her a name, but I didn't want to give her a name that wouldn't...fit. If that makes any sense.

That's about it from me here!

To the next chapter...


	2. Succumbing to Desire

**A/N**

And on to the last chapter!

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**Chapter Two****: Succumbing to Desire**

Barely a half hour later, he allowed himself to be ushered into the large, comfortable household, his eyes focused on the visible neck of the seemingly very young maid. It _did_ present a rather tempting sight...

The maid stopped outside the doors to the familiar drawing room that he was usually entertained in when he visited the older Vampire –at least, until he was ushered into the study for more private discussions.

"Shiki-sama is not at home at the moment, Kuran-sama," said the maid as she bowed, never once meeting his eyes with hers. "We will send word for him to return, if you are willing to wait a while..."

He stared at her for a moment or two, seeing the outline of the nice, large vein on the skin of her neck.

"There is no need for that. I will wait."

The maid nodded as she opened the doors to the drawing room.

"He should be returning sometime soon in any case, so you will not have to wait for long, Kuran-sama."

When she swallowed like _that_, it was so very _tempting_ to...

"Is there anyone else at home?" he asked, distractedly.

"The Madam is in her chambers, Kuran-sama." The maid paused. "I can inform her of your-"

"-No. There will be no need for that."

The maid nodded, looking nervous.

"The...the young mistress is not at home either, although she was due to return an hour ago."

"Ah, I see." Pondering on that for a moment, he abruptly turned and started walking down the corridor heading not in the direction of the front door, but in the direction that would lead him towards the impressive staircase.

"K-Kuran-sama, y-you cannot--" The young maid stopped abruptly when he spun around, his mismatched eyes narrowed as he observed her quickly frightened face.

"I cannot _what_?" he queried, as he moved closer to her. She was practically shivering in her flat shoes.

"I –I did not mean –I only thought you would be more comfortable in the d-drawing room, K-Kuran-sama..."

Quickly deciding that the scared thing would _not_ be a tasty meal, he smiled genially at her, taking in the way she stared at him somewhat bemusedly, before his hand darted forward.

"I _am_ sorry," he commented to her frozen face. "I fear you were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time." Squeezing his fingers and quickly squashing the lump they had enclosed around, he leaned closer towards her. "It is nothing personal, my dear," he whispered, before he pulled his empty hand free.

He brought the hand up to his face and stared at the stain on it, before slowly raising it to his lips. A quick lick later, his lips curled in distaste. "I was right...not appetising at all," he said as he looked at the pile of dust on the floor, before he turned back around and headed towards the stairs once more.

Allowing his sense of smell to guide him, he paused on the first floor for a brief moment, his head upturned, before shaking his head and continuing. He knew before long that the second floor was where his stop would be.

Reaching out with his senses, he noted that the rooms on this floor were empty. Pleased, he continued down the hallway before stopping at the door at its very end. He eyed the white door for a moment before he quickly let himself in. The interior of the room was dark –as the heavy curtains that covered the windows were drawn over them- but it did not trouble him, for he _was_ a Vampire, was he not?

It being his first glimpse of the room, he surveyed it with detached eyes, taking in the large, neatly made bed and its warm colours; the large wardrobe that took up the entire length of the wall to his left and that also had mirrors that ran along the lengths of its doors; the sturdy bookshelves that held many knick knacks in addition to books and magazines; and finally, the desk and chair that was beside it.

It was nothing extravagant, but it was comfortable –and, given the family's reputation and background, he knew that everything in the room had most definitely been specially made and expensive.

He was pleased to know that he had the support of the wealthy, well-connected family, for he knew that it would be advantageous to him in the long run.

Sensing a moving presence on the floor below him, he snapped out of his musings and effortlessly masked his presence –an ability that he knew was very unique and very useful to Purebloods. After all, he did not want anyone sensing him until he wanted to meet them.

And he was not feeling too sociable at that moment.

Quickly striding towards the wardrobe, he allowed himself to gaze at his reflection, not one bit surprised to note that his eyes were almost purely crimson.

For he knew intimately that feeling in his gut; that tightness in his chest; that lump in his throat. And of course, that dark, powerful taste on his tongue –one that he had gotten better acquainted with over the years.

She was with _child_.

Haruka's child, not his...

Oh, he knew, he knew _very well_ that he should have expected that. He knew about the 'facts of life' or whatever humans called it, he knew of what a man and a woman did when they were...caught in the throes of love and lust. So of course he had known, upon his siblings' betrothal and later marriage, that this was inevitable.

But perhaps he had not thought that it would...happen so _soon_. He had not thought that the couple would be ready to handle a –a _child_ after only being bonded for a short, few years. And besides, it was normal for Vampires, especially Purebloods, to delay the welcoming of their offspring into the world.

And perhaps he had thought that, by the time such an event occurred, he would have been sure of his position as the Kuran heir –he might even have succeeded their father, and would therefore have something to...comfort him. For even though his Juuri would conceive Haruka's child, if it was done when he had fulfilled his only other desire, then it might not have...hurt as much.

He chuckled as his reflection was replaced with a sinister darkness.

Alas, it seemed as though everything conspired against him. And it was not for the first time either.

Soon, there would be another Kuran, the product of his...siblings' _love_ for each other.

And, suddenly, it worried him as much as it hurt him.

They were to have a child, and he...he was not even _bonded_ yet. Bonded to the Pureblood Hiou Shizuka.

It was entirely possible for their father to...make his decision based on a successor in reference to that. For while he was still unpredictable, reckless and _single_, unpredictable, responsible and _married_ Haruka might appear to the royal as the more worthy candidate, even more so as he would already have an heir, whether the child was a boy or a girl.

The soft, sharp, creaking brought him out of his train of thought, and a quick, proper glance at the mirror showed the small, faint cracks that were appearing at its corners.

He quirked his eyebrows at the display of his power, small fraction of it though it was. He had not even _known_ that he was thinking in anger.

How...interesting. Did that mean that there was a possibility of him losing his control and _not_ knowing of it?

The more he thought about it, the more advantageous he realized it could turn out to be.

_But_, the occupant of the room he was in would most certainly _not_ appreciate a lack of mirrors in her room, so he desisted from testing out his theory. Looking around the room, he headed instead towards the chair that was by the desk. Making himself comfortable on it, he waited, allowing his thoughts to consume him once more, although he made sure to keep his aura and powers under control.

It seemed to him that all he could do, all that was left for him to do, was always to wait.

He had waited as Haruka continued to be quiet and uninteresting, not once thinking that he could become his competition.

He had waited as Juuri had grown up, showering her with affection hoping to have it returned in the future, not once imagining that she would turn from him.

He had waited as he saw the fondness in his father's eyes as he looked upon Haruka, not once bothering to think it could land him in his current, uncertain predicament.

He had waited as he discerned his father's dislike of him, but had not lost any sleep over it; for he had thought it was a fleeting thing that would pass.

And look where all of that had got him.

He laughed as the dark mist took over him once more.

One thing was definite; he certainly led a very interesting, very unstable life.

* * *

He did not know how much time had passed, before he sensed the presence the moment it entered the building, but paid it no heed all the same. His mood had deteriorated rapidly since the time he had first taken a seat on the cushioned, wooden chair, allowing his hands to rest on its armrests as he allowed his legs to splay out lazily on the wooden floorboards beneath them.

In fact, although he did not know when it had happened –either at the point he had considered marching over to the main Kuran residence and crushing his brother's heart and forcefully claiming Juuri, or the point he had thought to do the same thing to his father- but he could hear the very clear sound of his own heart beating. The sound of his blood being pumped around him, of the life-giving, thirst-quenching liquid flowing through his veins, was also disturbingly clear.

He was just...aware; _very_ aware of not only himself, but of what was going on around him. He was more aware than he usually was –which was quite a feat, as he was usually impressively aware in any case.

The...beast inside of him, the one that he had gotten better acquainted with over the last few years –at the expense of humans and some Level C Vampires- was pawing at him, demanding to be freed...and he knew that, this time, _he_ wanted it to be freed as much as it did.

Too long had he controlled it, too long had he allowed his...reservations to dictate his actions.

No one seemed to care how their actions affected him, so, really, why should he care how _his_ actions affected _them_?

The –now dried- blood on his hand, from his...earlier run in with the maid, did not help matters either. For, as unappetising at it was, it teased him, it _called out_ to him. And it made him _hungry_. As hungry as the recollection of the maid's heart in his hand made him. Holding another's heart in his hand, such a _vital_ little thing, sent such a wonderful rush of power through him...

...that he could not help but lust for more.

He looked up lazily, his mismatched eyes as crimson as they had been when he had seen them in the mirror, when he sensed the presence just outside the door. Having masked his presence earlier, he knew that none had sensed his presence in the household –and that sent another wave of power through him.

Distantly, he watched the door open and close as the familiar figure stepped inside the room. Her room, if he was willing to be honest. She took a few steps towards the large bed, having quite clearly not seen or sensed him, letting out a quiet sigh as she held a hand to her head.

That was all that he was able to observe, before he heard the _so very enticing_ sound of the blood rushing through her veins. And he was willing to be that _her_ blood would not be unappetising.

_Oh, yes..._

He was out of the chair and standing behind her before he –or she- knew it, and it was only when he wrapped his arms around her that she tensed, figuring that something was not quite right.

"What in the-!" She struggled against her 'unknown captor', much to his dark amusement. "I suggest you-"

"Relax," he whispered huskily, allowing his breath to tickle her neck as he sniffed at it. "You might enjoy this..." He felt her still her struggles at his voice, and instead, sensed her confusion.

"Kuran-sama...?" she whispered. "What are you doing? Why are you in my rooms?" She tried to turn around to face him, but he did not allow it. "Kuran-sama what-" He smiled at the gasp that escaped her lips when he lightly pressed his fangs over the pulsing vein on her neck. "R-Rido-sama-!"

"As I said, you might enjoy this," he murmured, trailing his tongue over her skin.

"Or I m-might _not_," hissed the noble, as she resumed her struggling. "You must not do this, Kur –Rido-sama. I am certain there are others who would be more satisfying...so kindly--" He cut her off by bring one of his hands up, placing it over her mouth and effectively quietening her.

He smiled against her neck.

"Then again, you might _not_ enjoy this," he said, darkly, before sinking his fangs into her neck. He felt her stiffen and then struggle some more, but really, none of that affected him. Purebloods _were_ much stronger than other Vampires after all, and he was not above using that strength to his advantage at that moment.

As he tasted her blood, he was pleased to know that, once again, he had guessed correctly, for her blood was _good_. And the dark beast within him growled in agreement, although it screamed for more than the thin rivulets that were seeping out of the bite.

And really, who was he to deny the darkness what it wanted?

Pulling his fangs away, he bit down on her again...and again...and again, creating enough sharp piercings on her slender neck and allowing more blood to flow through them in thicker steams. She whimpered as he drank, and he felt her try to pry his hand from her mouth, but a hard, deeper bite of warning on her neck stopped her at once.

The muffled sounds of her protest echoed in the room, but he paid them no heed. The sound of the blood in her, the sound of his drinking, the _feel_ of her powerless figure –_that_ was what he concentrated on.

As he continued to drink, his mind conjured up an image of a beautiful brunette and, for a moment, he was tempted to pretend. To pretend that the woman held against him was someone else; that her blood belonged to someone else; that...her whimpers were wordless cries of encouragement...

And when he closed his eyes, he found that...it was actually not as impossible as he thought it might be.

Yet whatever _tenderness_ he might have brought forth at the pretence was replaced by frustration and anger, and he was vicious with his actions. The arm that was wrapped around her pinned arms suddenly gripped them harder, and his elongated claws tore through the fabric of her long sleeve, digging deep into her skin and causing her to whimper in more pain as he dragged them down her arm.

All that mattered was him. _Him_ and the now somewhat sated beast in him. It did not matter that he was taking too much from his captive, nor did whatever she was feeling matter –what mattered was the _power_ he had, and the slight easing of the mist that clouded him. After all, since he--

The hand on his head surprised him out of his pleasured thoughts, and he froze for the briefest of moments, unwittingly allowing reality to set in. The dark mist slowly shifted as the iciness of the hand seeped through his hair –an iciness that was surely not natural, for the room was not cold at all.

As he pondered this, the mist clouding his mind receded somewhat, being pushed aside by rational thinking, and it was only then that he noticed how the noble was leaning against him; _he_ was not forcing her to him, she was willingly leaning against him, albeit weakly.

The mist cleared, and he drew his face away from her neck.

The burgundy haired Vampire whimpered softly as he pulled his arms away from her. His eyes widened ever so slightly as he looked at her neck as saw...the jagged, bleeding flesh on it.

He had done that.

He stepped forward and quickly caught the woman as she headed lifelessly towards the floor. Cradling her in his arms, he saw that her face was deathly pale, and that she was almost unconscious from his...thirst. His eyes moved from her face to her bloodied neck, before travelling to her bleeding left arm.

Something flashed across his mismatched eyes, but it was fleeting.

The scent of her blood would no doubt have reached others in the house –or _would_ reach them soon. Given his current, non-family supported situation, he did not want to lose one of his loyal allies, and who knew _what_ would happen if someone were to enter the room and see..._this_?

He could not reveal how he had lost control. No, that was a definite 'no'.

His striking face impassive, he eyed his markings on the still, burgundy haired noble's neck and quickly lowered his head to it as he felt the beast stir once more, awakened from its momentary appeasement by the continuous scent of her blood.

He kissed down the side of the noble's slender neck, pressing his lips against every bit of jagged, pierced skin that he could feel, letting his tongue linger on the wounds to allow his healing abilities to close them. Having...lost the amount of blood that she did, it would take drinking someone's blood for her to be fully conscious –and since he was not going to offer her his, it was best if she slept the blood-loss off, once she was healed. She could feed from someone when she awakened.

Pulling back from her now healed neck, he turned his attention to her arm, raising it to his lips and repeating the same procedure. When that too was healed, and once he had licked clean the remaining stains of blood, he lifted her feet off the ground and moved towards the bed she had earlier been heading towards.

Once he pulled the covers back, he placed her down on it, straightening her unresponsive limbs, before pulling the covers back up to rest just below her shoulders.

There was no expression on her face as she faded from awareness, and nor was there one on _his_ as he lifted her head slightly off the pillow he had placed it down against, before sliding his other hand underneath it and pulling out the pin that kept her hair piled on top of her head. The burgundy locks were soft against his skin –a fact which he made a mental note of- as he smoothed them down before placing her head back on the pillow.

He never once realized that his more recent actions had been almost carefully _gentle_, a stark contrast to his earlier behaviour; for he sensed another familiar presence enter the household. It seemed as though his friend and sometimes advisor had returned.

He straightened, his mismatched eyes taking on a dark gleam as he recalled the thinking he had done as he had waited in the empty room. There were things that needed to be said, and things that needed to be done, for he had most certainly had enough of _waiting_.

Waiting had only led to disappointment, and he was not willing to allow himself to be disappointed anymore. Nor was he willing to have _anyone_ snatch anything more out of his grasp.

Without a backward glance at the unconscious, burgundy haired noble, he stalked towards the door.

He had not gone far down the hallway when he saw the familiar figure of his friend heading towards him. Coming to a halt, he watched as the noble slowly became aware of his presence.

"Rido-sama?" he questioned, looking faintly puzzled. "What..." His voice trailed off, and his eyes darted from the door at the end of the hallway and back to the Pureblood. "How long have you been here, Rido-sama?"

The Pureblood shrugged.

"Not very long."

"I apologize for not being informed of your-"

"-I did not make my presence known, Shiki-san," he cut in, running a hand through his thick dark hair, unaware of the red tint of vengeful anticipation in his eyes. "I have some things to discuss with you, Shiki-san. Things regarding our...plans."

The noble straightened at once, a serious expression crossing his face.

"I see." He paused. "Let us go to my study then, Rido-sama."

He nodded.

"I would also like Ichijou-san to be present for this," he said, seeing the questioning look the noble was sending him. "There are things that I would like your opinions on," he clarified, quietly, and said no more on the matter. For his part, the older noble seemed to accept this, as he turned around and headed towards the stairs that would take them downstairs.

He followed the older Vampire, clearing his mind of all unnecessary thought. None of what plagued his mind would be of any help to him in his present situation. And besides, it was high time that he let go; it was high time that he moved forward.

Everyone around him had moved on.

_Juuri_ had moved on...so why was _he_ holding back?

She had made her decision, she had _chosen_ her side, when she had accepted what Haruka had to offer her. And it was time enough for him to realize that she would not 'suddenly' fall _out_ of love with his younger brother and _in_ love with him.

Reality did not work in that manner.

She was going to be a mother –and thereby more distant from his clutches.

He should let go. Of her, of what he...felt for her, of what he _wanted_ from her.

His mind told him that it was logical, and that it _must_ be done if he wanted to achieve his goals, and he agreed with it –for _this_ was nothing but a weakness in his plans. A weakness that could and _would_ be exploited by others.

A weakness he and his allies could do _without_.

A weakness _he_ could be _free_ without.

_If that is correct_, he thought, a touch morosely, as he watched the older noble's back, _why, then, does it hurt to even think of doing so?_

* * *

**A/N**

There we go; all _done_. Good thing I didn't leave it as a one-chapter thing, or someone might just have killed their eyes with reading it all at once –I know I almost did when I was reading through it to proof-read the thing.

Sigh. I just can't quite seem to give up the desire to write something, anything, based on Rido. But I suppose I should enjoy it while it lasts, huh? Sadly, just when we Rido-fans began to pity him, or see him in a different light, he gets killed and we will therefore have nothing more on him. A shame, that. But I suppose life goes on!

Anyways, that's it from me. Hope it was to your liking.

See ya!

Siriusgirl1


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